Japan's IPA Opens Special Consultation Desk for Suspected Cyberattack Data Leaks
Japan's Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA) has established a new Unauthorized Access Special Consultation Desk to support companies and organizations hit by cyber attacks that cause information leaks. The service is available even at the stage where victimization is only suspected, allowing affected parties to seek advice via phone or email before incidents are fully confirmed.
The initiative addresses a surge in intrusions into online services and account systems that handle personal data, where third parties steal records and other sensitive information. IPA will help organizations with initial incident response by assessing the likelihood of unauthorized access or data exfiltration and offering practical next steps.
Organizations that have already suffered confirmed breaches, as well as those that merely suspect compromise, can contact the desk. IPA staff will gather details, provide guidance on possible unauthorized access or leaks, recommend effective emergency measures, supply a list of incident response service providers, and direct callers to the appropriate reporting channels. The service is open to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Phone consultations are accepted on weekdays from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., excluding the period from noon to 1:00 p.m. Email responses may arrive on the following business day or later. Separate contact points handle non-access-related incidents, general preventive security advice, and individual personal data breach consultations.
Related articles
Russian State Duma Approves Outsourcing of Banking Secrecy and Client Data Without Consent
The State Duma has passed legislation in its second and third readings permitting Russian banks to transfer client data processing, including banking secrecy and personal information, to external IT contractors and cloud providers. No separate client consent will be required for such transfers. Only accredited Russian IT companies and banks holding a universal license that meet strict domestic control criteria may act as processors, with all servers required to remain inside Russia. Banks must notify the Central Bank of Russia in advance, and contractors must undergo audits by organizations licensed by FSTEC or FSB Russia. Special approval procedures involving the Central Bank, FSB, and Rosfinmonitoring apply to banks under foreign control. The law preserves banking secrecy while expanding the circle of authorized handlers under defined security obligations.
Russia's MinTsifry Drafts Security Requirements for Trusted Domestic Software
The Russian Ministry of Digital Development has published a draft set of requirements for trusted Russian software that go beyond simple domestic origin. The proposals focus on resilience against external interference, absence of known unpatched vulnerabilities, and full development and build processes conducted inside Russia under controlled conditions. Additional rules cover up-to-date component inventories, in-country technical support, and timely disclosure of software updates. Special compatibility mandates are included for Russian browsers and electronic signature tools across multiple product classes such as operating systems, databases, office suites, and communication applications. Compliance verification would be voluntary through expert review, with results recorded in the official Russian software registry and internal-use software lists.
Rostelecom Calls for 'Doomsday' Data Centers to Counter Drone Attacks and Infrastructure Risks
Rostelecom executive Valery Ermakov has urged Russian companies to build geographically distributed backup data centers, dubbed 'doomsday' facilities, to ensure service recovery after site losses. The recommendation follows drone strikes that disabled three Yandex data centers in Sasovo, Kaluga, and Vladimir, disrupting both internal services and Yandex Cloud clients. Ermakov explained that previous centralized infrastructure, built for economic efficiency, is no longer viable under changed threat models that now include physical attacks previously considered unthinkable. He advocated a micro-cellular architecture with services spread across many sites connected by high-speed links, while warning that Russian backbone networks are overloaded and much fiber optic infrastructure dates back 20-30 years. Rostelecom positioned its TEA NEXT line running from Kaliningrad to Mongolia as a source of additional capacity to address potential backbone shortages. Yandex responded to the incidents by accelerating client data migration to partner cloud providers.
Russian Firms Accelerate Cybersecurity Strategy Adoption as Risk Reduction Emerges as Top Priority
A recent AM Live broadcast survey reveals that Russian small, medium, and large companies are increasingly developing information security strategies, with the share of organizations actively working on them rising from 9% to 28% year-over-year. The primary goal cited for 2027 is risk reduction and financial loss mitigation, selected by 78% of respondents compared to 55% previously. Key barriers have shifted, with insufficient source data now affecting 64% of companies and lack of top-management buy-in rising to 43%. Experts including Yaroslav Napalkov from MTS Bank and Nikolay Kazantsev from Securitm emphasized the need for risk-oriented approaches, three-year planning horizons with annual reviews, and early engagement with CEOs and stakeholders. Only 16% of firms have fully operationalized their strategies with metrics and cyber exercises, while personnel shortages remain the leading constraint at 59%.